what is your brand’s reflection?

humans have a deep rooted need to belong

we need
to feel
connected

loved

and a part of
something
larger than
ourselves

brands play a major role in helping us fulfill this need

not only can
they facilitate
connecting us
to others

but they also help
us signal who we
belong with

and because of this signal…

a key of component
of any brand’s
identity is defining
it’s “reflected
consumer”

why?

“a brand is a customer’s (desired) reflection”
— jean-noël kapferer

a brand’s
communications

stores

and
products

all work to build a reflection of it’s customer

as a result…
W

we have an idea of the type of person that drives this

watches
this

and
uses
this

and
uses
this
versus
this

The problem is marketers often
mistake the target customer with
the brand’s reflection
marketers often mistake target and reflection

the target is your
current & potential
purchasers

the reflection is the way
your target wishes to be
seen as a result of
interacting with the brand

although your target
may look like this

they may
want others
to see them
like this

at least
this guy
did

one key way marketers
speak to the target instead of
their desired reflection is
through the constant use of
“that’s why” advertising
and we all know “that’s
why” advertising

problem: can’t sleep?
solution: that’s why there is brand X

“‘that’s why’ advertising navigates by reference to
consumers. it holds up a mirror to their lives—or
what the advertisers supposes are their lives—and
gives them a reason to believe the product we are
selling contains something that will make their day
better in some regard. in this situation i, the brand,
am acting in effect as a mirror.”
-adam morgan, eating the big fish

and so we
speak to
them as
they are

Need And so…
new
We speak to
them as they are,
not as they want
to be seen
not as they
wish to be
seen as users
of our brand

do you know your brand’s reflection?

to answer this question, finish this sentence

to answer this question, finish this sentence

when others talk about people who interact
with my brand they say:
“they are…”

when others talk about people who interact
with my brand they say:
“they are…”

brands can have incredible power…
be extraordinary

brands can have incredible power…
be extraordinary

web site: http://detavio.com
twitter: @detavio
marketing consulting, workshops, speaking
engagements: detavio@gmail.com